Coutances (Normandy) early 1944

[CDW]

Decided to do a diorama depicting our lads patrolling the cobbled streets of a French town during 1944, it's sort of a memory for my Dad who served in WW2 and always said that Coutances was the most friendly place in the area, the locals were always coming and giving them gifts and thanking them for being there as protection. The squaddies were always caught helping out with odd jobs around the village for which they got some fresh milk, eggs and bread (always welcome) and the odd rasher or three of bacon if one of the pigs were popped off.

The dio will have a bren carrier (tamiya (european campaign)) and an accademy British M3 Stuart Honey (that my Dad said, in his droll sense of humour, came originally from some decent American chaps and just needed a lick of paint )

The figures will be the Tamiya infantry set and some Eastern peasants from MB, i'm using a Tamiya road sign set for extra detail.

Did a load of shufftying on t'interweb and through some old photos and books and have a good idea what i want it to end up like.

This is where i am at the moment, the houses are made from balsa & matchsticks, the base is a salvaged job from an earlier crap dio and the cobbles are made from Mung beans that have been painted and weathered.

The houses

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On the base

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The outhouse (and in situ with some extra slabs and detailing)

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Opinions and ideas always welcome

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[mobear]

i do like your started project mate

mobear

 

[sprayman]

This looks like a good looking Dio Colin, its going to be some size I think, plus it has an added benefit from the story from your dad...your doing great work here mate, will look forward to seeing it all go together...cracking stuff.

 

[spanner570]

Great start Colin, and a nice story too.

Good to read you are recycling your stuff as well.

I do like the little 'Bogs', if that's what they are? lol. A nice piece of detail.

Looking good,

Ron

 

[tecdes]

Wow Colin a lot of work in that. Thought aircraft were hard but this must take an imense lot of imagination & patience.

Those paving stones look the real part. What are they made of ?

Lovely area this only 16 miles from Jersey. Used to boat all the way up & down this coastline when I was "youngish". Really nice area & the people are as friendly as you will ever get. They look after your kids as if they are their own. Are you going to include a boulangerie o baguettes & jambon are they not lucky ?

Laurie

 

[noble]

Nice beginnings colin i like the houses and the cobbled street. keep up the good work.

scott

 

[CDW]

thanks chaps

ron. . . . . yup theyre bogs

laurie. . . . the slabs are balsa. all the balsa is spare bits from the prometheus and crab boat models im still workong on slowly.

just sorting the roof tiles, chimneys, a wooden fence and a washing line. more pics to follow.

anyone know what alterations were made to the m3 from US To british regarding colour and markings? (might as well get it as good as i can eh?)

 

[Polux]

Really nice and interesting diorama you show here!! I'm dure it will be a great one!!

You have to tell a quite story.

All the best!!

Polux

 

[James Q]

Great start so far, looking forward to seeing this progress. Its always nice when you have a lovely story to go with dio's, good to hear your re using old stuff.

 

[Centurion3RTR]

Going to look great that is Colin, off to a good start.

Have fun, John

 

[AJay]

Looks like the beginning of an exciting dio build

 

[papa 695]

Looking good Colin looking forward to seeing this one unfold

 

[CDW]

Thanks chaps

Come across a bit of an enigma ....

The M3 light tank in British service sometimes had no turret and was used as recconaisance or a radio command vehicle.

Had a look around for any details where these types were used and can't find anything definite.

So... question is ... would they have used the turretless model in the setting i'm depicting?? I know there was a Bren carrier there as armoured "backup" because Dad said they used to give the children "rides" on it... Sadly my Dads not around to ask ... and he never mentioned this detail in any of the few times he actually talked of this.

Anyone got an idea based on fact or pictures

 

[spanner570]

There was one, it was called the T8 and in place of the turret a .50cal machine gun was mounted.

There is a photo of it in google images.....As far as I can see, the only fly in the ointment is it was based on the M5, later than the M3.

My post is only based on what I have read, I personally know now't about M3/5's.

Hope this is of some use.

Ron

 

[spanner570]

As to which one, I don't think it really matters.....

Either variant would surely have been seen on the streets of Coutances at sometime or other. Who's to say otherwise?

Anyway, the turretless one sporting the .50cal would look good and be summat different.

Cheers,

Ron

 

[aaron]

This is a great looking start to an interesting piece, i love that there is some history to it as well.

Sorry but i cant help with the bren carrier.

You have a great eye for the little details i like the toilet roof tiles. awesome

Primo Colin.

 

[CDW]

As to which one, I don't think it really matters.....Either variant would surely have been seen on the streets of Coutances at sometime or other. Who's to say otherwise?

I'm sort of thinking that way to be honest Ron, and i'll be trawling the net to get some pictures to see what changes there were to alter a standard kit, thanks for the input mate, makes sense.

I've been thinking a bit "outside the box" on basic facts for a few things... For instance... Dad said the streets were lit occasionally, so i've added street lights.... he said that the villagers phoned a neighbouring town during his stay there and the radio operator was able to use morse, so i've added telegraph poles (i know telegraphy could be via radio wave but i think the telegraph poles look groovey on the dio ).

Anyway this is where i am at the mo ....over all shots

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and some details

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[dubster72]

Very nice, this is really coming together! The details with the streetlights etc are excellent, as is the overall groundwork.

Patrick

 

[aaron]

Fantastic progress i like the clothes line and the wood piles are a nice touch.

What make are the lights? Thumbs up with the powerlines from me too.

 

[CDW]

It's the 1/35 Tamiya: 35067 Road Sign Set Aaron.